Generally, when a single insider buys stock, it is usually not a big deal. However, when several insiders are buying, like in the case of Arbor Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ABR), it sends a favourable message to the company's shareholders.

While insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing.

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Arbor Realty Trust

The Chairman Ivan Kaufman made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for US$480k worth of shares at a price of US$12.05 each. That implies that an insider found the current price of US$12.76 per share to be enticing. Of course they may have changed their mind. But this suggests they are optimistic. We do always like to see insider buying, but it is worth noting if those purchases were made at well below today's share price, as the discount to value may have narrowed with the rising price. Happily, the Arbor Realty Trust insiders decided to buy shares at close to current prices.

While Arbor Realty Trust insiders bought shares during the last year, they didn't sell. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below!

There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.

Insiders At Arbor Realty Trust Have Bought Stock Recently

Over the last three months, we've seen significant insider buying at Arbor Realty Trust. Specifically, Lead Independent Director William Green bought US$132k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any sales whatsoever. This could be interpreted as suggesting a positive outlook.

Insider Ownership

Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Insiders own 2.1% of Arbor Realty Trust shares, worth about US$56m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Arbor Realty Trust Tell Us?

The recent insider purchase is heartening. And the longer term insider transactions also give us confidence. Insiders likely see value in Arbor Realty Trust shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. At Simply Wall St, we've found that Arbor Realty Trust has 4 warning signs (3 are a bit unpleasant!) that deserve your attention before going any further with your analysis.

Of course Arbor Realty Trust may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.